Virginia Tech's Michael Holmes still in jail after Sunday arrest

Norm Wood, nwood@dailypress.com | 757-247-4642

Virginia Tech running back Michael Holmes remained in jail Monday, awaiting a Tuesday bond hearing in Montgomery County General District Court for an arrest that was accompanied by one count of malicious wounding and two counts of assault and battery.

Holmes, 19, was arrested 1:50 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of College Avenue in downtown Blacksburg after police responded to a fight in progress, according to a press release from the Blacksburg police department.

Ciara Monet Simms, a sophomore track and field athlete at Tech, was arrested Sunday evening and Kierra Shacruee Barnes, a 20-year-old Radford resident, was arrested Monday afternoon in connection with the incident, according to the release. Both Simms and Barnes were charged with assault and battery, the release stated.

Holmes was held in Montgomery County jail without bond and was scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning in Montgomery County General District Court in Christiansburg, but the hearing was continued, according to the Virginia Courts Case Information website.

He's slated to have a bond hearing Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the same court. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 13 at 2 p.m. in Montgomery County General District Court, according to the Virginia Courts Case Information website.

Jimmy Turk, an attorney who is representing Holmes, said the incident stemmed from an argument involving Holmes' current girlfriend and ex-girlfriend that led to a physical altercation. Turk said another girl that was with Holmes' ex-girlfriend was also involved in the incident.

Turk said Holmes' current girlfriend ended going to the hospital. Turk said another young man was also involved in the altercation. To his knowledge, Turk said the other young man who took part in the altercation isn't a Tech football player.

"I've talked to a couple people that were there," said Turk, who added no weapons were involved in the altercation. "It appears that the initial aggressor was (Holmes') previous girlfriend and the other girl that was with (the ex-girlfriend), who attacked Michael's current girlfriend.

"All Michael did was try to step in and break up an altercation with them. There was another young man that came after Michael. That's my understanding after talking to a couple people that were there."

The timing of Holmes' arrest played a big part in why he had to remain jailed Monday and couldn't get a bond hearing until Tuesday, according to Turk. In Montgomery County, there's a police that the commonwealth's attorney has to have 24 hours notification to schedule a bond hearing, Turk said.

Since Holmes was arrested early Sunday morning, notification of a bond hearing didn't get to the office of the commonwealth's attorney until Monday. Therefore, Holmes couldn't have gotten out of jail Monday.

"I expect him to get out on some kind of bail (Tuesday)," Turk said. "Unless there's something I'm really missing and that's very unexpected, he should get out (Tuesday) morning."

Tech coach Frank Beamer hasn't commented on the situation, but athletic director Jim Weaver confirmed Monday in a statement released by Tech's athletic department that Holmes has been suspended indefinitely from the football team.

Tech's university and athletic department policies dictate athletes charged with felonies are to be suspended from athletic participation until the charge is resolved or dropped. If Holmes is found guilty of the felony, he'll be kicked off the team in accordance with university and athletic department policies.

One victim who was present at the fight was taken to Lewis-Gale Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg and treated for injuries, according to the release from the police department, while two other victims were treated at the scene. Names of the victims weren't released.

Malicious wounding is a Class 3 felony in Virginia, carrying authorized punishments for conviction of five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Simple assault and battery is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries an authorized punishment for conviction of up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500, or both.

Holmes, a 6-foot, 215-pound rising sophomore who graduated from Harrisonburg High in Harrisonburg, shared first-team tailback duties in Saturday's spring football game at Tech with J.C. Coleman and Trey Edmunds. Holmes led all running backs in the game with seven carries for 24 yards.

Last season, Holmes had 70 carries for 280 yards and four touchdowns. He started five of Tech's first six games. In Tech's last four games, he only had one carry for minus-two yards, and didn't play against Florida State or at Boston College.